Safe and Well

Network damage or safety defect? – it doesn’t matter anymore…

… as now it’s the same number to report them on. We know you got really fed up of doing the right thing in reporting network damage or safety defects only to get pinged between different teams. Well, no more!... it’s

now one team and one number to report these to - our Network Repair Team on 0800 169 5098

The Asset Assurance Team and Damage Claims Unit (DCU) now make up the new Network Repair Team (NRT), to be the one stop shop for all network damage and safety defects. This doesn’t affect the A1024/damage apps which you can still use to report damage & safety defects. You report it, we’ll sort it!

Issue 71 – June 2019http://snip.bt.com/safety

Safe and Well Issue 71 as we slide into Summer, it’s no surprise to see that this edition features an extensive spread of safety scenarios for you to factor in (yes, sun block is mentioned). But we’ve something even more dazzling to share – there’s a new number that you’re going to want to use.

Proudly published by Openreach’s central health and safety team – talk to us @ Safety Direct

SNW071 June 2019Reviewing April and MayProcess: Damage reporting

Railway season ticketNear Miss: Metal cable tiesDriving: Using VRM

Damage reportingEquipment: Steps 1A

Check your stools P2Power: HV poles focus

NCVD reminderPPE: On the right foot

Protect your eyesKnow about: Noise incidents

Silica DustAC500 poles

Summer: Hot MDFs, Lightning,+ other hot hazards.

WAH: Latest Tetra FAQsSupport: Know what’s there

There’s a nifty video to watch showing what you can expect when you call up the team. – you may be surprised at how technology gets used.

So stick 0800 169 5098 into your phone and lists of useful stuff to know.

You report it, we’ll sort it!

Click to play video

http://snip.bt.com/NetworkRepairTeam

Seeing the people behind the numbers: April & May 2019

252 people took time to report a Near Miss in these two months – thank you!

127 of our colleagues were hurt in an incident at work

10 people needed time off work to recover from an accident in April

2 people fell from extension ladders; they both needed ambulances and hospital treatment.

5 people broke or fractured at least one of their bones in an incident

11 people were bitten by dogs when working during April and May (see http://snip.bt.com/dogsense to cut the chances of being a June statistic)

1,505 road traffic collisions; with 27 people hurt in a road traffic accident

51,591 safety checks completed, with 6,518 chances for something to be safer

221 people started to use the RehabWorks physio service in April

And nearly 6,000 of you directly downloaded a copy of Safe & Well!

The health and safety newsletter for all Openreach people Page 2

Remember: the idea of the strap is to prevent the metal core of a cable falling in the event of a fire and

potentially causing a trip hazard. If the cable is already supported by metal cable tray, metal cable ties

aren’t necessary, so plastic ties are suitable. And if you’re using stainless steel ties, be extra vigilant with

offcuts and any loose unused ties.

Think: stay safe by: knowing that some SSTCGs can leave really sharp

edges (see last month’s Safe & Well), and have caused deep slicing into

sides of hand. You must use gloves and eye protection when using them.

A recent near miss reported by our colleagues from Technology flagged a

potential issue when working within the BT/OR estate (and possibly in

customer comms rooms) linked to using metal cable ties in operational

buildings near DC plant and bus bars. A visit to Grantham ATE revealed one

of the cut metal cable ties next to the Midi (power plant rack that supplies

power to all other equipment racks) on the ground floor. The obvious

concern is if one of these is used inside our buildings above a Midi (some

have exposed and unfused bus bars) and drops in, or is left on a tray and

is later disturbed and falls in, the results could be catastrophic.

Safe and Well: Issue 71 June 2019 v1.0http://snip.bt.com/safety

Near Miss: Check you know whether using metal matters Fire legislation changed in January 2019

so all internal wiring throughout the entire installation of cabling must be adequately supported from premature

collapse in the event of a fire – this is covered in our Toolbox Talk http://snip.bt.com/SAFE023

Just what can’t you do online? When it comes to reporting vehicle damage, in most cases, it’s fine to report it online. But there are a few occasions when you are going to need to use your phone in the old fashioned way.

Our colleagues in BT Fleet have got a new comprehensive Guide to vehicle damage reportingavailable so you know what to expect when it comes to reporting any vehicle damage (though we hope you won’t have to)

You should call the BT Hub on 0800 679 100 if you can’t report an incident online. This is usually due when:

• If the vehicle is deemed unroadworthy• If the damage is glass only• If the damage is to the interior only• If you are likely to be liable for any third party damage

How do I check driving licence consent on VRM? was the question that came into the team recently. The good news is it’s really simple to check.

In a nutshell the steps are:• Log on to the VRM system at

http://www.virtualriskmanager.net/bt/• Select “Driver HQ” if asked• Select “Click Here To Launch”• Enter, check and confirm your details & Agreement• Complete the electronic signature• Privacy confirmation and authorisation to proceed• Validation, click on the link in the consent email

Download the VRM guide

Any technical difficulties then contact the helpdesk at

btsupport@virtualriskmanager.net

or call 01484-551060

Have you renewed your LNER season ticket? If you’re part of a team that works on LNER managed stations, then you’ll know all about the requirement to have a valid “season ticket” available. Download the latest one and store it on your phone via http://snip.bt.com/LNERST as you’ll be asked to present it when you work. You may also need to have a version of the standard method statement for LNER handy, and that’s http://snip.bt.com/LNERMS

Download the LNER ST

Please stay away from Steps 1AHowever tempting it might be, please don’t bring quarantined Steps 1A back into service. There was a good reason for them being “decommissioned” which was covered in the Red Alert back in Jan 2017. Yes, it certainly has taken longer than originally planned for our partners to get them removed from all areas, due to some interesting “logistical challenges”, but work is still going on to get them taken away.

Steps Mobile 1B (with the manual brake release levers) can be used under specified circumstances; but Steps 1A are strictly out of bounds and aren’t to be used in any

circumstances. If you notice that a previously captured set of steps appears to have been released back into the wild, please flag it to your manager ASAP and get it made safe. Steps 1A – not to be used

The health and safety newsletter for all Openreach people Page 3

Safe and Well: Issue 71 June 2019 v1.0http://snip.bt.com/safety

Keeping the spotlight on staying safe around overhead power

Following on from last month’s article on the new wbt and local briefings that field teams have had re line plant on our poles, the Chief Engineer recently held a webcast to go through the latest safety requirements for high voltage (HV) poles.The things you really need to know are:

• Be aware - no new HV joint use (HV JU) is permitted; HV is anything greater than >1,000 Volts (typically 11kV and 33kV)

• Stay safe - don't attempt to access HV JU poles • Report it - if you see it, report it, using the A1024 iPhone app - defect code 540 -

remedy code 309. You’ve already raised over 200 A1024s – thanks for doing so.Use the powerguide

A stitch in time… or in this case, several stitches required but thankfully not the sort linked to an injury. We’ve had several near misses reported involving the stitching failing on the newer folding stools (I/C 092372) with batch markings 2018C, 2018D, 2018E (the batch number will be on the label underneath), these batches of stools were issued after 21 December 2018. (although a few earlier examples have also been reported). Check yours now, and specifically check the fabric and stitching. Make sure it’s secure and not showing signs of damage. Any concerns over the condition of the stitching, or if it’s showing signs of damage, don’t use it, do report it via product alert.

Another example of where raising a Near Miss is helping others stay safe. –report them online at http://snip.bt.com/NearMiss

A muddy bit of bother – wearing the right PPE is just one element in keeping yourself safe; you also need to check whether anything else has affected it - in this case mud! During a bit of buddying, there was an incident where after completing the pre-work pre-climb checks, fitting the pre-climb label and setting up the ladders correctly, the Buddy was climbing to tie off of the ladder when his foot slipped. He lost his balance and fell onto the soft grass below. He suffered a bruised foot and also a cut to his nose where the peak of his hard hat caught it during the fall.

The review of the incident highlighted that as well as there being a fair bit of wear to the tread pattern, there was a build up of mud which had affected the grip on the rungs. It may seem a minor thing, but getting good purchase with your feet is essential when climbing. Have a look at the “safe climbing” section of the H&S handbook. Same goes for mud on your boots when driving – there’s a risk of your foot slipping off the pedals, not great when it comes to braking! So make sure you’ve got neat feet when it comes to keeping safe.

WBT: ORSAF023

Western Power have already given us the locations of 2,000 HV poles which we’re verifying. Nationally, we estimate there being up to 7,000 cases. It’s going to take time to remove all the line plant, so we’ll be surveying all the poles we are told about as quickly as possible.

Where there’s BT line plant attached to a high voltage pole, we’ll fix a label to the pole stating ‘Openreach, power infringement. No working at height’ to act as a visible reminder to our engineers not to access these poles.

Are you NOT keeping in contact safely? It’s been over a year since the non contact voltage detector (NCVD) was launched so by now everyone who needs one should be using it. If you’re yet to get hold of your kit (or need a reminder on why it’s essential to use it), then take a quick look back at the toolbox talk at http://snip.bt.com/SAFE020 to get all the info you need. You must order your NCVD duo asap if you haven’t got one and definitely be using it by the beginning of September. And if you already have one, it’s mandatory to use it EVERY time before you start to work on street cabinets (PCPs & DSLAMs), or other 3rd party cabs/ street furniture.

Remember “most electrical accidents occur because people areworking on or near equipment thought to be dead but is live”

Beckett,RA,Richard,BVJ222 RSafety first. Always use the kewtech before touching a PCP

i/c 093746

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Safe and Well: Issue 71 June 2019 v1.0http://snip.bt.com/safety

That’s a bit startling! You may think it’s only loud equipment/ machinery when you hear about noise incidents, but there’s also the incidents experienced by headset users which is sometimes known as acoustic startle. There’s a separate process to use when dealing these type of incidents, including a specific investigation form. There’s more about noise interference in the Health & Safety handbook; July’s Safe & Well will use some recent incidents to explain how the process works in detail and what you need to know.

How do you survey 26000 schools in the search for our green poles?

Answer - you call on some of your many friends to help! You know the saying not all heroes wear capes? Well, in this case, it was our heroes in hi-vis that made a difference. And the Plant Safety team want to say thanks.

The quest to find AC500 poles was never going to be easy, there was a lot of data crunching, manual map mapping, Google Earth searching and a range of techniques deployed to try to find out where these poles could be. Faced with the near impossible task of checking out all the schools in the UK to locate AC500 poles, the Plant Safety Team called on the might of Service Delivery and Fibre Network Delivery who responded in a truly heroic style. They tracked down 26,000 sites with 34,000 pole locations. Now that’s what you call We Are Openreach! From these reports, we were able to narrow our search to just 4207 poles and arrange for these to be tested by our specialist Pole Testers.

So why was this so important? AC500 or the “Green Poles” were a specially treated pole that used a copper based treatment that gives them a greenish hue. They’ve been with us for 12 years and were brought in for use near schools as this helped us to stop providing creosoted poles in these sensitive locations but, despite assurances from suppliers, they began to fail with less than 5 years effective life. If you consider these poles were located in and very close to schools and school playgrounds, it’s not hard to see why we had to take such an extensive course of action in finding them.

We stopped using AC500s in 2015 and have a specific testing programme in place to manage them. Now thanks to you, we know about a further 300 of these poles and have already removed 26 defective poles from service. This project, and the tremendous support from our field teams, means that we’ve helped to keep schools and communities safe. Sometimes you really do need a bit of help from your friends.

PS are your eyes still right? Having your eyes checked regularly can help spot a range of underlying medical conditions as well as help you to read the small (or large) print. And if you drive, being able to clearly read signs, judge distance and observe the hazards tends to be a good thing for both you and other road users.

• Eyecare voucher - DSE (not safety)

• Eyecare voucher - Safety (not DSE)

Keep looking at keeping safe – PPE stands for Personal Protective Equipment but it’s equally appropriate as Properly Protect Eyesight in this case. Most of the AMS safety checks have a PPE related element to them and for some, it’s specifically around protecting your sight. You’ll know that you need eye goggles when working or moving cobra rods, that eye shields are required when using the SSTCG with cable ties and of course on the MDF. But do the checks back that up?

Looking at the AMS data Nov-Apr, in total there were 413 occasions when people were at risk of

damaging their eyesight. And the main activity where this was spotted? A clue, you could end up

with hydraulic fluid in your face. Remember using a LMC4 requires eye protections

(see http://snip.bt.com/AMS814 for details). Please, value your eyes and know what PPE you need.

Top Ten eyesight oversights instances

814 Cover - LMC4 122 825 Dropwire across a road 19

809 Rodding - Hand & COBRA 69 802 Ladders 14

805 Frames 67 832 Safe Excavation 12

821 Pole Climb - SB 11 43 830 Powered Cutting Equip 8

808 Safe drilling 32 806 Internal at EU 8

“Eye shields not worn when drilling tetra hole”

“Coached that eyeshields need to be covering your eyes, not the top of your head”

“Didn’t have the correct eye protection on but they were in the van”

“Unaware mandatory if using hydraulic lifter”

The health and safety newsletter for all Openreach people Page 5

Safe and Well: Issue 71 June 2019 v1.0http://snip.bt.com/safety

Think: and stay safe this summer Whether it’s a reminder of the importance of being sun savvy, knowing when to cover up, spotting a dangerous plant or the range of things that sting, summer has it’s challenges. At least being an “insect magnet” has been reduced with the introduction of the orange hi-viz… there’s plenty of info on the next two pages and even more at http://snip.bt.com/sunnydays.

Horrible hogweed Heard of Heracleum mantegazzianum?

It’s a big name for a big problem and you might know it better

as Giant Hogweed. Whether you encounter it during your work

or during leisure, it’s worth knowing about due to its toxicity.

It’s widespread across much of the UK, particularly around

riverbanks and it’s extensively found in Scotland and the North

of England. All parts of the leafy lout are pretty toxic -

leaves, stems, roots, flowers and seeds, the lot. The toxicity

can be transferred to the skin by touch so a brush with it

can be enough. If you have a bad reaction to it, significant

blistering can occur within 48 hours and often heals very

slowly and painfully.

In some cases, it can develop into phytophotodermatitis, (also

known as Lime Disease - not to be confused with

Lyme’s Disease), which makes skin hypersensitive to

ultraviolet light eg sunlight. And you don’t want sap in your

eyes, as in extreme cases, it can lead to blindness.

Hogweed or GIANT hogweed? Main thing that distinguishes

Giant hogweed from it’s harmless hogweed relation is size

(giant being a clue). More info at http://snip.bt.com/BigPlants

Stay safe by: avoiding contact (particularly

the sap) so when doing your risk assessment:

• consider your environment

• consider what areas of flesh are vulnerable

– (so possibly rethink those shorts)

• consider gloves, sleeves and eye shields

Be “more mole aware” – look out for:As outdoor workers have a higher risk of skin damage from UV, mole awareness matters so know your ABCD.

• New moles • Changes to size, shape or colour of existing moles

or patch of skin • New growth or sore that doesn’t heal • Spots, moles, sores that hurt or itch • Moles or growth that bleed, crust or scab

Ask your GP if you’re concerned as swift treatmentcould stop it getting worse; and it could save your life

Neck it! - Top sunburn hot spot for outdoor workers is the back of your neck so don’t neglect it! And if you have a JSP Helmet Neck Cape, it doubles up as a sun AND foul weather protector (i/c 093386). Don’t stint on the sunblock – for people working outside, there’s greater risk with up to 90% more UV radiation exposure than people working indoors so along with covering up where possible, use your sunblock (i/c 090825) Factor this in: it’s not apply once and leave it - given the manual nature of our work, you’re likely to be sweating on in the heat, so reapplying sunblock is essential. And if it’s cloudy, remember 80% of harmful UV rays can still get through, so the risk is still there. Don’t let catching the rays catch you out.

Summer knees Check you’re still safe if you’re switching to wearing shorts as they aren’t suitable for all activities. Climbing poles, working on the OH network or working in the UG network then it’s a no to shorts. Same for working with heavy machinery or carrying out hot work using gas. And if you’re working in areas with ticks,you may want to think about your leg coverings. More at http://snip.bt.com/beesknees

See the NHS Mole Checker (ext) for more info.

Beware the glare!

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That’s illuminating – another element of the summer hazards is thunder and lightning so if the electrical currents are weather driven, stay safe by knowing that:

• during periods of local thunderstorms, any work on overhead or underground lines should stop. Same for MDF work.

• If you’re aloft, return to ground level.See EPT/PPS/B055 for more reference.

What about wasps? Jo Jenkins, our Occupational Health nursing advisor, has some tips to stay safe around this striped hazard:

• Cover up as much as possible (arms, legs, torso)• Don’t leave sweet items exposed, particularly fruit and drinks• Look out for wasps before sitting down and try to avoid places where they might cluster

If a wasp comes near, don’t panic, try to keep still or move away slowly and don’t wave your arms around or try to swat it; this acts as a challenge to a wasp!

First Aid advice if stung:• Most stings cause pain, itching and swelling that usually clears up within several hours. • Wash the affected area with soap and water • Place an icepack or a cold compress over the affected area to reduce swelling • Elevate the affected area to help reduce swelling• Avoid scratching the area to prevent infection • If you’ve access to your own simple painkillers or anti-histamine sprays, use them, but these must NOT be

used to treat other people (you don’t know whether they have other allergies or medical conditions)• If you know you are allergic to stings and have been given an adrenaline injection pen, always have it

handy. Make sure colleagues know where you keep it, in case they need to retrieve it in an emergency.

When to seek help:• Contact your GP if sting redness, swelling or itching gets worse or doesn’t clear up after a few days. • If you’ve symptoms of swelling around the lips and mouth, feel generally unwell or dizzy, or have difficulty

breathing, seek help immediately. This can be a sign of a severe allergic reaction, anaphylaxis, which can happen without warning and needs urgent treatment.

• Keep others safe by: If you see someone who has been stung suddenly become unwell, dial 999; lie them down and keep them still until the ambulance arrives.

Check the NHS website for more information https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/insect-bites-and-stings

Safe and Well: Issue 71 June 2019 v1.0http://snip.bt.com/safety

Is it hot IN here? a reminder of the Hot MDF process as if the outside temperature is high, then inside the frame room is going to be a fair bit hotter. And if WEMS and temperature logging is new to you, check the info on Safety Direct or BES/VAC/A001 (A7). Key to know about is the WEMS self-help guidance document to find out if the MDF area been higher than 30°C for at least 7 days in a calendar month. Don’t have WEMS? then you’d need to use the temperature logger option, covered on the Hot MDF website.

Although there isn’t a higher temperature limit for working (only a lower one), there’s HSE guidance around “uncomfortably high” and suggestions on “self help” measures and they’re listed on our website.

Wood you bee-lieve it! A post on Wired from Paul Vidler (BJE) highlighted just how diverse the range of summer hazards can bee…

“2 bee or not 2 bee, that is the question. These honey bees took residence inside a ply reel at Chessington cable compound, They swarmed onto a nearby cable drum when the Queen left to form a new colony taking around 60% of the existing colony with her. A local bee keeper came and set up a new hive to collect the bees & rehome them. ”

Cable drums, pole stacks and other wooden structures are popular places for bees to gather so do check for thingswith wings and stings! If your workplace becomes a hive of activity, contact the Property and Facilities helpdesk who can assist with “infestations” of a variety of creatures.

If you want more info on swarming, then buzz over to https://www.bbka.org.uk/swarm (ext).

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A: Feedback was the position of the karabiner hook on the 3rd rung from the top restricted foot placement during the transition from ladder onto the pole. Working with our trainers, we saw some (not all) engineers, especially those with larger feet, sometimes moved the hook to one side so they could get both feet on the rung. Plus the top section of the ladder is obviously narrower and may restrict foot placement. The wider bottom section gives more room to place both feet on it if needed. Testing this method with our engineers got the thumbs up as they said it stopped the 3rd rung feeling congested when transitioning. So whether you connect 3rd

from top or 2nd from bottom, it’s your choice as both ways are safe.

Safe and Well: Issue 71 June 2019 v1.0http://snip.bt.com/safety

I want more! More Safety info? Then head over to Safety Direct to see what else is there. And remember to catch Group’s HSW newsletter as well. Want to have something featured in Safe & Well then drop us a line.

The Employee Assistance Programme (EAP) is available 24/7, it’s free, it’s for everyone and it’s confidential. So why use it?

• It’s separate from BT – run by an outside company

• It’s confidential - and it really is

• It’s not only counselling (but they’re pretty good at that)

• It’s a way to get advice on issues like benefits, financial worries, family problems or non work related legal stuff

Everyone needs a bit of help sometimes, it’s OK to ask.0800 917 6767

If a physical load was too much, you’d ask for help to prevent harm…

… so don’t carry it all yourself when it comes to “stuff” that’s causing youproblems.

Let someone help you.

Think: Stay safe by knowing the latest on Tetra As the rollout carries on and more people get to experience the benefits of the Tetra system at first hand, there’s more questions coming in on “how do I”, “what if” and “when can I”. These get added to FAQ at http://snip.bt.com/TetraFAQS, so what’s new to know?

Q: Why are there two suggested rung positions (3rd rung from top & 2nd rung from bottom) when attaching the karabiner hook of the kernmantle rope to the ladder, if climbing it to access a pole?

Q: I’ve started to notice a bit of surface rust on the ladder yoke rings and other components, are they OK to use or does it affect the strength of the components?

A: We asked Tetra to carry out some investigations with the supplier and the view is that the components have probably been stored back in the kit bags whilst still wet and maybe not used for awhile, resulting in surface rust appearing where the original coating has been rubbed off. Importantly, Tetra and Ridgegear have confirmed that the strength and integrity of the products are not affected by the surface rust so are OK to use. Your usual pre-use inspections remain important though, and if any equipment doesn’t function as it should (e.g. spring clips not moving freely, Cam locks jamming etc), then do not use the item, order new ones.

Tips for reducing the chances of surface rust developing on your kit:• When kit become wet, allow it to dry naturally. This could be by hanging it up in the

back of your van or drying the metal components down with a dry cloth before storing it.• Avoid corrosive atmospheres. Check you aren’t storing rock salt or other corrosive

substances on or next to your kit as this enhances the chances of rust developing.

As with all equipment, if you’re concerned about the quality of the product, raise a Product Alert highlighting the specific problem and hang on the affected kit as our suppliers may want to see it.

Stay savvy on silica dust - part of IOSH’s occupational cancer awareness campaign “No Time To Lose” covers the risks surrounding silica dust. It crops up when you do things like drill, saw, cut, sand or grind materials such as stone, concrete, slates, tiles and some plastic composites. Tiny amounts of this fine dust can damage your lungs permanently. Be aware of the risk when working with materials which may contain silica, as effective dust management is critical, so in some cases, dust suppression at source must be considered. And check whether you have the right PPE available if you are going to be undertaking work where silica dust may be a risk – whether at work or home DIY! Have a look at the IOSH handy Guide pdf for details.